Empire Builder to Resume Regular N.D. Route

The Empire Builder will resume operating over its regular route between Fargo and Minot, N.D., in both directions effective Jan. 12, Amtrak announced.

The detours via the BNSF KO Subdivision began last May in a westward direction at the requiest of BNSF, which was conducting track construction in the state.

“Amtrak and BNSF continue to work cooperatively on the operational and maintenance issues that affect Amtrak trains on this line,” Amtrak said in a news release. “BNSF is commited to work to improve the performance of the Empire Builder going forward.”

The construction combined with freight congestion led to excessive tardiness that prompted Amtrak to add three hours to eastbound schedules and 90 minutes to westbound trains.

Passengers bound for or originating at Rugby, Devils Lake and Grand Forks, N.D., were carried by bus one direction. Originally, westbound No. 7 detoured on the KO subdivision while eastbound No. 8 followed the regular route.

The trains flipped routes in October to expedite BNSF traffic patterns during the grain-harvest season.